The disaster management unit in Kenya’s Vihiga County has asked businesses to install fire extinguishers on their premises to tame rising fire incidents.
The unit has also urged locals to plant trees and install lightning arrestors to tame calamities caused by flooding, landslides, and lightning as it seeks to intensify disaster management preparedness.
The move is coming in the wake of enhanced rains and strong winds that are being experienced in the region.
The Director of Disaster Management James Mundia further said the devolved unit was drafting regulations that will see it get at least two percent of the budget in line with the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
Mr Mundia said installing fire extinguishers by business owners who are mostly operating in urban areas will help stop fires whenever they break out.
The official also said planting trees was the cheapest way of preventing disasters caused by thunders and lightning that are prone in Emuhaya and Luanda sub-counties.
The trees, he added, help stop landslides as they hold the soil firmly to check flooding. They also act as windbreakers to stop strong winds that are common in Vihiga and Hamisi sub-counties.
The call on business owners and locals is coming at a time when strong rains and winds are hitting the area with roofs being blown away.
He said fire incidents are becoming rampant in urban areas, hence the need for traders to boost the fight against such tragedies.
Already, the devolved unit has set up a fire management unit that responds to emergencies but the disaster management unit feels installing extinguishers is a step towards boosting the fight against fire tragedies.
“We have put up fire extinguishers in our offices that are in town areas to help us whenever a fire breaks out. We are also asking the business community to install them in their buildings,” Mr Mundia said.
He said the disaster management unit has partnered with the Kenya Red Cross and St John Ambulance to sensitise the public on disaster warning signs.
“We educate them to look out for the early warning signs. Like currently there are heavy rains pounding the area. This can cause lightning, flooding and landslides,” he said.
On funding, Mr Mundia said the unit was unable to spend funds allocated towards disaster owing to the absence of regulations to operationalise the requirements set out in the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
The Act allows counties to allocate two percent of their annual budget toward disaster management.
“We are, together with the Finance Department, drafting the regulations that will be approved by the assembly and give us the power to spend the money in line with the law,” said Mr Mundia.
